Thank you very much, Chairperson.
And thank you to the witnesses coming today.
I think as we get into this study more we're beginning to realize how complex the issue is that we're taking on in looking at technological innovation. The questions that keep coming up for me...there are two questions, really, one of which is, what is the federal role? Health care is delivered provincially, but there is a federal role in terms of oversight under the Canada Health Act and in terms of research. The other question that keeps coming up for me, which you've all tackled, but particularly Dr. Coyle, is really the value for money. I think we realized at some point in our study that we actually needed to speak to people who are researching the economic issues in health.
Most of the discussion today is focused on acute care facilities, and I find that very interesting. I'd like to begin with you, Dr. Coyle, because I see that you're also involved in community medicine.
What I really wonder is who's doing the research, or is there research being done, more at a primary level of care? If we shifted to that and we focused more on keeping people out of the emergency rooms, keeping people out of acute care, and having much better primary care, which was multidisciplinary, where there was an array of services, community-based, with community involvement so that we could address some of the social conditions that you have raised here today, to me that makes sense. It seems intuitive that this is the right way, but of course one always has to look for the evidence.
I wonder if you can address that and tell us, first of all, if you have knowledge in an expert way about that evidence of value for money, if we have that kind of shift. Secondly, if that is the case, what should the federal role be, then, in really advocating for that and trying to make that shift in this very complex system we have?